It’s the city that inspired an entire swimsuit line, the stylish destination Australia’s Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich adored and it’s the one place in Los Angeles you’re actually likely to run into celebrities.
It’s West Hollywood, the US town where absolutely no selfie loathing/anguish/or hesitance is allowed because when you’re in WeHo, you’re gonna want your head awkwardly creeping into the corner of scenic pics.
With neon-lit cafes, random blow up flamencos, popsicle-inspired cocktails and of course, the Hollywood sign, there are so many places for capturing the best selfies, here are just a few:
The trippy Alfred Coffee
It’s not ‘coffee first’ in this coffee shop, it’s ‘selfie first’.
Whether it’s the triangular black-and-white tile or the macha or the avocado toast, there’s a cool-factor here that’s on par with its alley location next to Cycle House.
Khloe Kardashian’s fave, The Cycle House
Even the biggest Kardashian haters would try and take a selfie with the ladies if they spotted them in public.
So head over to their favourite workout joint, The Cycle House.
While you’re there, you could take a spin class and then strike a pose in the alley (preferably in a piece of designer athleisure apparel in front of JGoldcrown’s latest mural) with a sweaty glow that says, “I came, I rode, I clicked, therefore I am.”
That and the buff abs and pecs are testimony enough to being alive.
Total neon at E.P. & L.P.
This deservedly acclaimed duo is known for a few things: its “Young and Free” neon sign that screams selfie even for mathematically middle-aged peeps; its rooftop happy hours and evening noshing beside a pink “Where Love Lives” neon sign; and its cool, self-described modern Asian eating house vibe.
Mmm cocktails at Gracias Madre
It’s always a good day to say Thanks Mom, a place that celebrates organic Mexican food and the people who grow, cook and serve it.
You can’t capture the spirit of the place in pixels, but you can sure try – with sun glinting off their boozy snow cones or popsicles or with naturally stylized dishes that almost look too good to eat.
Please, though, do eat while it’s hot.
Of course, there’s the Hollywood Sign
Newsflash (not): the Hollywood sign is the single most iconic backdrop in the area. And practically no one is “above it” – that is, being photographed here.
A boatload of images are taken from a fair distance away at the Griffith Observatory.
But Bikes and Hikes LA (http://bikesandhikesla.com/) gets you up close and personal while a drone captures the view for your group.
They will even add your image as a cake topper for a special day.
Actual cement monkeys at Maxfield
Ohhh, how rich and textured and nuanced the palette of grey concrete on those… cement monkeys.
Yup, the courtyard entrance of this avant-garde boutique and one-off gallery is playfully guarded by a duo of primitively styled primates.
They are almost as famous as what’s inside.
And an actual pink wall
L.A. and West Hollywood are full of brightly colored murals, but there’s nothing quite as simple and arresting as the Bazooka bubble gum pink box that wraps this retail location of Paul Smith. Ya think?
It makes Barnett Newman’s color fields and Mark Rothko’s abstract expressionism look downright dour.
Don’t forget the RETNA Mural
On the wall outside of Craig’s, a pricey all American resto favored by celebs in the Design District, this mural gives rise to the existential question: If a backdrop was seen and not photographed, did it ever exist?
Street artist RETNA never had to ask that question since he’s been creating his distinctive typography on the streets of L.A. since he was a teenager.
OR all the celebs’ fave hangout, The Abbey
The crown jewel of WeHo’s gay clubbing scene is the place to be seen with gorgeous go-go dancers, buff boyz and boozy bartenders (and now, a reality TV show).
Cocktails are as chill as the music is hot. You’ll be forgiven if you hand your camera to a friend to take a better-perspective “selfie” … which then begs the eternal question: is that actually a selfie?
Cocktails at the Mondrian Skybar
Day drinking rarely looks as fun as it does at Skybar, where partying poolside also means partying inside the pool.
Come dusk, as candles start flickering, catch a flick while lounging poolside. Come evening, catch a poolside band.
No matter the time of day, city views are unparalleled from this ivy-covered pavilion.
And finally, an actual selfie wall at West Hollywood’s City Hall
Looking for a selfie passport stamp like the Welcome to Las Vegas sign or the South Rim of the Grand Canyon? WeHo has its own version: the City installed a rainbow tile graphic showing the city’s tiny size and boundaries.
The exterior wall is part of a micro-park project that provides passers-by a place to gather, snap and post. You’re welcome. No, thank you … for posting. Go forth, share, like, conquer.